Extra garbage will be picked up after Christmas

Dec. 25, 2010 at 6:25 a.m.

By O.C. Garza

Can I leave out extra garbage the week after Christmas?

Yes. On their normal trash collection day from today through Dec. 31, residents can leave additional holiday trash in sealed plastic bags, boxes or old trash cans, placed at least five feet from their automated trash cart. Our rear-loading trucks will follow the automated trucks later in the day to pick up normal holiday trash. Don't forget that carts and extra holiday trash must be placed by the curb no later than 7 a.m.

Will the new Caterpillar facility pay any taxes during their first 10 years in Victoria?

Yes. The City and County have exempted Caterpillar from paying City and County taxes on the property improvements for the first 10 years but Caterpillar will be paying property taxes on the base value of the 320 acres they now own, the first time in many years that this property is back on the tax rolls.

Caterpillar will also be paying some taxes that other businesses pay. State law does not allow abatements on school taxes so Caterpillar will pay VISD taxes. Caterpillar will also pay taxes to The Victoria College. Additionally, Caterpillar will pay taxes to the Navigation District and Drainage District. Like most businesses, Caterpillar will pay taxes on normal business goods and some inventory.

Caterpillar will also generate sales tax revenues through the purchases it makes. Up to 1,000 construction workers will be needed during the construction phase, and those workers will generate sales taxes and possibly some property taxes.

Just as important for Victoria is the economic benefit we will get from Caterpillar employees. When the facility is open, Caterpillar will employ about 500 permanent workers who will pay property taxes and sales taxes in the communities where they choose to live.

Are the City Council meetings and other programming on Vtv15 available online and on-demand?

Yes. City Council meetings, Parks Commission meetings, Planning Commission meetings and most original programming on Vtv15 are available online at

www.vtv15.org. These programs can be watched at your convenience on your computer, television or mobile device that has Internet access.

Does Victoria use red-light cameras similar to those in Port Lavaca?

No. The cameras you see at major intersections around Victoria are traffic detection cameras linked to our signal lights to help with traffic flow. Traffic lights controlled by cameras do a better job of traffic control than pressure operated intersections, plus they do not get torn up every time a street is repaved or repaired. The installation cost at a typical intersection is about $250,000 so only one new "controlled intersection" per year is budgeted. Again, these traffic detection cameras are not red light cameras and do not take pictures of anyone running a red light.

Send your questions and comments for any city department or activity to City of Victoria, Public Information Office, P.O. Box 1758, Victoria, TX 77902, or pio@victoriatx.org.